16 Years of Silence: Baloch Missing Persons Protest Reaches Landmark

The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons' protest camp in Quetta marks its 5,864th day, highlighting enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Families demand justice for missing individuals, accusing state forces of human rights violations. Despite global awareness, international intervention remains lacking, leaving the Baloch community in turmoil.

The relentless protest encampment organized by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) in Quetta reached a milestone on Friday, marking its 5,864th consecutive day. This enduring demonstration underscores allegations of the state's systematic enforced disappearances in Balochistan, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.

Attendees of the hunger strike camp, considered one of South Asia's longest protests, are family members of those forcibly disappeared, advocating for justice for the Baloch men and youth reportedly taken by Pakistani security forces. The event saw visits from Khuda Bakhsh Baloch, Noor Muhammad Baloch, and Nazir Ahmad Baloch, offering solidarity with the victims' families.

VBMP Vice Chairman Mama Qadeer Baloch emphasized that incidents of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial actions reflect a larger, devastating agenda. Qadeer called upon the United Nations and human rights organizations to intervene, criticizing the international community's silence, which he claims exacerbates the ongoing violations.

(With inputs from agencies.)